Did you know that artificial
lighting, depending on the color, can disrupt the quality of your sleep? In
addition to healthy habits, good nutrition and exercise, the light to which we
are exposed daily can influence a good night's sleep.
What is the connection between light and sleep?
Light has a direct
influence on the production of the hormone melatonin, known as the sleep
hormone. Melatonin is responsible for the distinction of day and night, that
is, it functions as a biological clock that warns our body when it is time to
rest or wake up.
Melatonin is only synthesized in the body when we close our eyes and inhibit
the entry of light. This is the time when we rest our body and recover the
immune balance.
The substance is not only responsible for a good night's sleep, but is also
very important in preventing serious illnesses like serious depression,
Alzheimer's, stress and mood disorders.
Thus, even when you are sleeping and there is some light in the environment the
quality of sleep can be affected, because even with eyes closed, light crosses
the eyeball and impairs the melatonin production process.
Are artificial lights harmful to sleep quality?
Not all lights are harmful to sleep, but some colors can influence more or less
in this process.
The light-colored lights - especially the blue color present in cell phones,
televisions and computers - are the worst for sleep quality. Today, in the Age
of Technology, it is common for people to sleep with attached electronic
devices. However, this bad habit is directly related to sleepless nights.
This is because, in our nervous system, there are photoreceptors sensitive to
blue light that directly affect the production of melatonin. If it is already
night, but we are in direct contact with this blue light, they send a message
contrary to our brain, saying that it is not yet the moment to rest, harming a
good night's sleep.
How to improve the quality of sleep, even exposed to
light?
Experts recommend turning off all electronic gadgets and avoiding access to
these lights at least two hours before bedtime.
However, some people can not avoid this exposure, either because they work at
night or because they can not sleep in the dark. Thus, some tips can help in
the adequacy of this routine. Are they:
• Orange color helps rebound the reflection of blue light
If you use the
computer very much at night you can use filters or devices that balance the
light through this color;
• Reverse the polarity of the computer
The black screen with white letters
helps to minimize the effects of blue light, turns out to be the ideal strategy
for those who work at night;
• Not all lights are harmful to sleep quality and health
In this sense, if you
can not sleep in the dark, use a red light that does not affect the production
of melatonin.
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